This Soul of Chogokin was an exclusive release for the Autumn 2009 Tamashii Nations Expo.

Video Review Included!

This Soul of Chogokin was an exclusive release for the Autumn 2009 Tamashii Nations Expo.

If you are looking for Tamashii nations exclusives, check out Anime-Export.com

It shares the same body as the GX-45 Mazinger Z, so I am not going to go over again how great it is. If you don't have one, pick it up. it's great.

But if you do have one, and you want another, slightly more evil version, this is the one for you.

Released in limited numbers at the Autumn 2009 Tamashii Expo, the GX-45A Mazinger Z Atami Night version is a darker take on the classic hero.

I have not yet seen the new Mazinger TV series, and I should be flogged for it. I have no idea if this version of Mazinger appears in the show or not.

The box is rather bland and nondescript. Thus is the nature of these "night" versions. It does the job, and it makes it less toy-lke.

The deal with this one is that you have a completely different finish than the other version. This time you get a metallic black finish with shiny chrome limbs.

Maz's head is darker, with red eyes and red highlighting on the grill. The Hover Pilder is the same, aside from a darker red metallic coloring. It still fits loosely on the head.

This version comes with an alternate head, one that is half Mazinger, Half Koji Kabuto. I can see this emulating one of those anime split-screen effects, but like I said, I haven't seen it yet.

The only other difference is the translucent chest plates. These are really spectacular.

The other accessories included are the standard set of open and closed hands, arm launching attachments and launching arms.

Not included with this set is the scrander wing.

The stand is the same as the GX-45.

It's a really great looking figure, and I think a repaint that you should pursue. However, being a convention exclusive makes it hard to come by. Fortunately Anime-Export.com seems to get their hands on Tamashii Nations exclusives in record time. Yes you will have to pay a premium for them, but in this case, I think it is worth having.

My eyes! They Burn!

I got this bootleg on the same shopping trip that yeilded the Spider Man Adventure hero. However, while the Spider Man was out in the open on a street corner, this one was harder to find.

Bored and looking to score (a bootleg), I wandered in and out of shops in chinatown. Some stores had toys hanging from pegs outside, others just had festive paper lanterns dangling from fading awnings. In between a fish market and a bag shop, a small shop caught my eye. Did I just see what I thought I saw?

Dan and I went in and my bootleg sense was tingling. I was led around by a strange force until we saw them hanging on pegs.

Bootleg Soul of Chogokin Dancouga toys, labeled "Wild Force Chariot".

I wanted one, and Dan wanted one, so we began haggling with the old Chinese lady working there. $25 each she said.... too much. How about if we bought both? Anything?

I think we knocked a few bucks off the total but it took a while - she drove a hard bargain. Were these worth $25 each? Hell, the discovery alone was worth it.

Dan tore his open back at the hotel, but I must resist. I must open mine in a controlled environment, somewhere where I can document it in all of its bootleg craziness.

So I waited. And waited. Eight months later I finally get the chance to open it.

The verdict? It's terrible. But in a wonderful kind of way.

Packaging

If the idea of a bootleg is to make a cheap knock off of the original item, why make the cards so damn big? This card is easily 20 inches tall, twice the size of the figure? Cut that in half and bootleggers can save a ton of trees.

But I digress - back to the package. Wild Force Chariot comes blister-carded on a HUGE backing card. The card features images of the real SOC Dancougar, but the differences are immediately obvious. I like how the bootleggers photoshopped in the bootleg labels onto images of the real toy.

The back of the card features the barely discernible instructions. The warnings are all in Chinese, but a sticker has been placed over a block that has an age warning in Spanish.

Big Moth

Out of the package the toy is already in humanoid mode without the feet animals attached. The toy has been radically simplified, but the transformation is essentially the same. The Big Moth can be transformed into all of his versions - humanoid, tank and animal.

Land Liger and Land Cougar

The two tiger robots are here, and those too are simplified with some awesome decals. Both can also transform from humanoid to vehicle to animal, as well as becoming the feet for Dancougar.

Eagle Fighter

The Eagle fighter, in this case, is totally different. Here it is just a hollow shell, only able to form Dancouga's head, and a crappy bird mode. Oddly, two Eagle Fighters are included with the bootleg.

Combined!

All the parts combine alright, but the final form is sloppy and unrefined - in other words - typical bootleg quality. The plastic feels like brittle styrene, and the paint applications are messy.

The only included weapon is a gun, and parts of the gun aren't included. Also omitted is the giant wing that attaches to the back.

No sword either.

So yeah, it's a pretty horrible toy. But someone had to cover it, to document it, and we are those people.

The whole set is really fun, sturdy, and it has fantastic shelf presence. Combined its over a foot tall!

Epic review with THREE HD VIDEOS inside!

Dygenguar & Aussenseiter (ダイゼンガー&アウセンザイター)come from the Super Robot Wars franchise, including the games and the spin-off anime series. these designs are original designs created for the series, unlike other robots who just make guest appearances.

The robots are massive, dynamic and powerful. I've never seen the series, or played the game, so most information I could give about the characters background is just assumption.

Really though we are here to talk about the toy.

The toy consists of two robots who could make complete great SOC releases unto themselves: Dygenguar & Aussenseiter.

First off - the box. The box is HUGE and appears to be one of the largest SOC boxes to date. The DX Raideen set may be bigger, but if so not by much. Inside is a styrofoam tray, and two plastic trays.

Dygenguar

Let's start with Dygenguar. Pronounced "Daizengar" Dygenguar is a fantastic robot. It's angular design may scare off super robot purists, but once you get him in your grubby little hands you will feel the love. Everything about this guy is tight. All the joints are great and stiff. The shoulders can swivel forward and backward as well as rotate, and elbows are double jointed. The chest has a fantastic ball joint with a collapsable chest panel to allow for more dynamic poses.

The hips have an odd joint in it. When I first took this out of the box I thought that Dygenguar did not have the ability to move his legs forward. Come to find out that there is an interesting joint that you have to swivel forward to enable forward motion. This joint is necessary to enable Dygenguar to ride Aussenseiter in horse mode. The video below explains it better, so watch to fully understand.

the skirt armor is fully articulated and does not feel like it will pop off - a common problem with skirt armor.

The legs are mostly metal, and click nicely. The knees are not double jointed, unfortunately, but the knee spikes are articulated. Also, the large red panels on the legs have a tendency to pop off easily, so be aware of that.

The feet are remarkably articulated, with the toes, heel, shin guard and ankle having a full range of motion. There are flip out clips on the bottom of the feet that I THINK are to secure it to the stirrups in combined mode.

Check out the pistons on the back of the feet.

Other neat little things about Dygenguar - There is a panel on the back that lifts up to reveal engines, the large shoulder spikes can move, and there is an interchangeable face.

Of course there are the required optional hands, and some of those hands can hold the big-ass swords.

Yeah, these swords are big - no not just big - ridiculous. Suprisingly Dygenguar has no problem holding any of the swords.

Aussenseiter

Aussenseiter (アウセンザイター) written as "Außenseiter" (the "ß" translates to SS in German) is the second part of the set, the companion robot to Dygenguar.

Aussenseiter is bigger and heavier than Dygengyar, and has more gimmicks, but is less poseable. This is laargely due to the complex transformation hidden inside, but it's still reasonably articulate.

The head is on a ball joint and features a large removable plume of electric hair. There is no variant expression with this figure.

The chest is immovable. Each shoulder can move, and the elbows are double-jointed. At the end of each shoulder is a large disc shaped shield that can be removed an used as a weapon.

Alternate hands are also included, and can hold the thin angular sword with the hook at the end. One variant hand as a unique pointing pose, apparently a signature move for Aussenseiter.

The legs are hefty and feature thick metal parts. These legs have good articulation, nothing double jointed, but again the feet are fantastic. The feet have articulated rolling rubber wheels that really help the figure obtain a sturdy pose.

Moving the legs has a tendency to pop off the front panel on Aussenseiter, but it easily pops back into place.

The cape is made out of hard rubber and is divided into three pieces. Securing over that on the back is a backpack that holds the two large Lanze Kanone cannons.

The cannons fold up on the back, but can be removed and placed in both hands. You have to unfold the handles at the end, and there are also two small clips provided that attach to the shoulders for extra support.

Pferd Mode

Transforming Aussenseiter to Pferd Mode is challenging the first few times, but once you see all the connection points it becomes easier. Most of all the parts that are required to do the transformation are contained within Aussenseiter, save for the tail, mane and rear connection support.

So how is it done? Well, it is hard to explain in writing, so I did it on video for you. But I will go over some of the points.

First, the cape, shields, and the head need to be removed before transformation. Also, a plate on the top of the chest around the neck needs to be removed.

Each arm folds up into the shoulders, and then the shoulder sections fold down the sides, revealing the horse's head. Remove the head and neck section, and re-attach Aussenseiter's head with the new, larger mane.

From here it's a bit of jumbled luck and a bit of origami to get the rest done, but it involves a rear connector part that the feet and rear section snapping into.

The front and rear legs are formed out of the cannons on the back of the figure. The front legs snap into the back of the grey panels in front, and the back legs snap into the former shoulder parts. Add the head to the front, and then the tail to the back, and there you go - Aussenseiter in Pferd mode.

Now, this is well and good, but things look a little small. Dygenguar can sit on it, but not well.

What Bandai has done is provided you with a second set of parts - a more anime-accurate set of limbs, head and saddle.

The new head is larger, with a larger mane, and is more articulated. The head moves around and the jaw can move as well.

The front legs are longer and smoother, with better range of motion. You can pull the legs out a bit at the hips to provide for a wider stance. The rear legs are also larger and smoother than the ones from the cannons but they connect in the same way.

The saddle is the best improvement to the horse mode. With this saddle, Dygenguar can mount Aussenseiter and create that iconic pose. It even has stirrups.

The special stand included can hold the combined pair up in the glorious attack mode.

Aussenseiter's cape now gets re-purposed into a cape for Dygenguar, but the cape can only be used when in this combined mode. It's meant to flow in only one direction, and it looks a little odd when not on the horse. An additional support stand is inserted in to the horse's....uh.. hind quarter to brace the cape.

But wait, there's more...

There's another stand included that looks like a piece of rock. All of the leftover parts can be attached to this stand and displayed alongside Dygenguar & Aussenseiter.

At what cost?

Here's the elephant in the room - the cost. The GX-46 set retails for 29,400 yen, which as of October 2009 converts to $324.37 - no small chunk of change. Bandai and Toynami teamed up to bring select Tamashii product to the states. US retailers such as Big Bad Toy Store have it for around $280. Considering that you would likely have to pay an additional $50 to ship this from Japan, that's quite a discount of the Japanese retail.

But still, that $280 is a significant cost especially in this economic climate. The number one question people ask me is is this worth the money?

Across the board prices on these high-end collector pieces have gone up. Considering that you get TWO full featured chogokin toys - one that transforms, and a ton of accessories, the $280 price seems about right. Also worth noting is that this is labeled as a DX Soul of Chogokin toy (the second since the DX Raideen Set), and thus commands a higher price tag.

The whole set is really fun, sturdy, and it has fantastic shelf presence. Combined its over a foot tall.

Recommended!

The last thing you or anybody else thought they needed was yet ANOTHER Mazinger Z figure. If you have been a Japanese toy collector for any amount of time you no doubt have a few in your collection already. Mazinger is an iconic figure, setting the template for super robots that exist to this day. But how many do you really need?

One more, apparently.

Includes HD video review

I was dreaming when I wrote this, so forgive me if I go astray...

The last thing you or anybody else thought they needed was yet ANOTHER Mazinger Z figure. If you have been a Japanese toy collector for any amount of time you no doubt have a few in your collection already. Mazinger is an iconic figure, setting the template for super robots that exist to this day. But how many do you really need?

One more, apparently.

Mazinger Z should need no introduction, but this version warrants a bit of backstory.

In 2009, Dynamic produced a new Mazinger series called Shin Mazinger Shougeki! Z Hen, or "True Mazinger Shock! Z Chapter". In Japan it was promoted as Mazinger Z on TV. The show is a re-telling of the classic Mazinger story, with some subtle differences in design and story. It is not a sequel to to either Mazinger Z or Mazinkaiser - this is something different.

Coincidentally, the premiere of this show coincides with the 35th anniversary of the release of the first Mazinger Z Chogokin toy.

So, in commeration of the two events, Bandai decided to release a new Soul of Chogokin Mazinger Z.

Now, you may wonder why do you need another Mazinger SOC? You've already got the GX-01, GX-01R, GX-07, GX-07I and GX-07E. We'll, here's why.

It's been 10 years since that first SOC came out, and toy design has evolved a lot in that short span of time. Bandai has learned a lot, and what collectors want has changed as well. With the advent of Revoltech and Figma, collectors now demand extreme articulation in addition to the typical SOC workmanship.

The new Mazinger Z Chogokin was revealed at the 2009 Tamashii Expo and it laid bare all of Bandai's hard work. This new Mazinger was more articluate, more anime-accurate, and more metal, albeit smaller than its brethren.

This is the one you wanted to have 10 years ago. This is the one you need now.

HD Video Review

Enough Exposition! Lets Dance!

With the anniversary comes a redesign, and the Soul of Chogokin Box is no exception. The Box bears little resemblance to the first SOC, with only the logo and numbering system to relate the two. This package has shiny foil lettering and an awesome, old-school cutaway diagram of Mazinger on the side.

Inside the box is a mixture of old and new. Mazinger Z himself is secured in a styrofoam sarcophagus, the only material to pack a Chogokin in. Unfortunately, the accessory trays are clear vacu-formed plastic.

Preconceived notions about the overabundance of Mazingers aside, this is one great SOC. It has a very satisfying feel to it. It's very heavy and glossy, with an automotive like finish. The toy is mostly metal, with plastic in the head forearms and hands. That's it. It is truly Super Alloy.

The main draw of this Chogokin is the new improved articulation. As you can see in this cutaway, The joint structure in this toy is radically different than those before.

Starting at the head, you now have ball joints at both the neck and the base of the head, allowing Mazinger to move in almost any direction. There is a small plastic hover pilder that can plug into the head. This Pilder is now hard ABS plastic with a transparent window and articulated wings. The connection with the Hover Pilder and the Head is a little weak, one of the few flaws with the toy.

The torso is three parts, with an upper chest ball joint, swivel waist, and solid metal hips. The hips feature an extending mechanism that allows for a greater range of motion in the leg area.

The legs are all metal. The unpainted metal ball joints at the hips look great and solid. These then have a swivel pin joint into the upper thigh which can also pull out a few milliliters, although I don't know if its supposed to. From there the upper thighs are diecast with slightly weathered paint applications.

The lower legs are also metal, and these are equipped with collapsible back panels that allow Mazinger to really bend at the knees. Its a great engineering job for a fantastic effect.

The feet are on ball joints and those too can extend to provide a greater range of motion. The bottom of the feet have great detail molded into them.

Back up to the arms, they are attached to the body by a clicky ball and swivel joint. The upper arms are metal and feature cavities to plug the lower arm sections into.

For the lower arms, you have the choice of two options. Normal or Rocket Punch. The normal arms have an elbow joint that end with a magnet. The elbow joints are interesting due to a panel that separates midway through bending the arm. This does not give any more movement than the standard SOC arm joint, but it does look neat.

The Rocket Punch arms consist of two launchers and two forearms. The launchers have magnet ends to attach to the upper arms and have a small trigger. Simply click the arms into the lanucher and press the button to fire. The trigger is really small so it is hard to get this to fire every time. Once you do fire, they have a fair amount of force, and will travel a few feet.

Both the regular and launching arms can be outfitted with any of the four variant hands. The hands pop on and off balls at the end of the arms easily.

But what would Mazinger Z be without his Jet Scrander?

In the past, The Jet Scrander was made so that the wings could be placed in different positions for different modes. While this was a neat gimmick, the wings were pretty ugly. This new version manages to combine style and function.

There is some assembly involved with the Scrander, namely the tail fin and the wings. The wings are designed in such a way that to change modes (flying or... not flying) all you have to do is remove and swap the wings. Now it looks great in both modes. But don't forget to move the yellow jet sections forward or backwards depending on the mode.

The whole assembly attaches to the figure by the belt, which wraps around the waist and attaches in the front. A small peg in the back fits into the hole on the back of Mazinger.

When not in use, the Jet Scrander can be stored on the display stand using a special attachment.

In addition, the stand can be re-configured with a different attachment to display Mazinger Z in flight mode.

The stand itself is pretty basic, with the engraved nameplate, options for storage, and grooves for the feet. The only letdown is that there is no place to store the additional stand parts when not in use (unless I didn't look carefully enough).

Now that I have handled this, I can say YES it is very cool and worth getting. Get this one and sell the others, because this is the one you need.

PRO

• New engineering, extreme poseability
• Great Jet Scrander with dual purpose stand
• Better sculpt
• More detailed Hover Pilder
• Loads of metal

CONS

• Slightly smaller than other Mazinger SOC releases
• Hover Pilder connection to head is loose
• Odd dual elbow joint seems to serve no purpose
• No place for stand accessories
• Yet another Mazinger

Its also worth noting that this is the first official wide release of a Bandai Tamashii product through Toynami. It seems plans to make these be released through the Masterpiece line with Masterpiece packaging have been abandoned. This toy is released in the same package as the Japanese Market release.

The sensuality of Go Nagai’s character design have never been understated in his projects over the years, from Cutey Honey to Devilman Lady if there is going to be a female character you know she will have at least an underlining but more often an obvious sensuality about her. Minerva X from Mazinger Z is such an example.

(If you have read my CollectionDX reviews you will see that most of my review subjects are from toys or models that I have bought back when I was a kid in the 1980’s. Having been a collector back in the 1980’s, I had a lot of great items that many people had forgotten about and that were worth taking the time out to review. I still have a lot of vintage items to review, GI Joe alone could take another decade to review all the pieces I posses but I knew sooner or later I was going actually take the plunge and seriously collect Japanese toys again.

As a kid I just bought any toy that was Japanese but as I got older my tastes begun to get refined and I settled on a few lines that have most influenced me over the years: Spiral Zone, GI Joe, Mazinger, Gatchaman, Macross, Godaikin, Studio Ghibli, MS Gundam & Zeta Gundam and early Super Sentai. Sometime around 2001 I sold off about half of my Japanese and American toy collection on Ebay and begun to focus on my taste on a few lines that I really cannot live without.

I am still a big model kit buyer and builder but when it came to Japanese toys proper I have very much held off as long as I could, but with so many great toys being released and being reviewed here on CollectionDX I know that I was going to have to make a choice if I like it or not.

Last week, after a long careful debate I finally settled on collecting Bandai’s Soul Of Chogokin line of releases. SOC seems to scratch that itch that I have for Japanese robots. When I think of Japanese robots I think of die-cast metal content, rocket fists, shooting missiles, foam trays, colorful boxes, exclusive releases and a hi-brow attitude. Also most of SOC releases cover my favorite era, the 1970’s and 1980’s. SOC meets those expectations and more. No toy line is perfect and I know SOC has its dog releases but generally speaking from what I have read this seems to be what I was looking for.

Even when I found out about SOC back in the 90’s I knew we were going to have destiny together but it was just a matter of time and when. So here it is friends, my first Soul Of Chogokin review.)

Minerva Soul Of Chogokin

You have got to love Go Nagai’s character and art design. With a few strokes of his paint brush and ink pen he’s created a world that personifies what I love about Japanese art design. Go Nagai has always been cutting edge and controversial and most of his fans are always waiting for what his next project will bring. In the USA most kids watch Tranzor Z on TV but what blew me away was when he made a special one-off Mazinger Graphic Novel for the US market called Mazinger published by First Publishing in 1988. Who knows if it was a big seller but this was the first time I saw Go Nagai unleashed that only Transzor Z hinted at. Somehow I knew there was something more to Go Nagai than Tranzor Z and this was it.

The story features a Mazinger Pilot, Major Kabuto who gets transported to another dimension when a bomb explodes during a battle. Kabuto gets transported to another dimension where a princess is waging a war against Lizards men called ‘Zards that are trying to kill off the last of the humans. Mazinger joins the battle with the princess and afterwards offers herself to marry him. There is just one problem, the Mazinger is the size of the humans in this dimension, making the Mazinger pilot fit in palm of her hand. Not only was the art beautiful (it was in color) and featured the typical Nagai violence, cruelty and fantastic Mazinger designs but the princess was bare-chested during the entire comic!

The sensuality of Go Nagai’s character design have never been understated in his projects over the years, from Cutey Honey to Lady Devilman if there is going to be a female character you know she will have at least an underlining but more often an obvious sensuality about her. Minerva X from Mazinger Z is such an example.

In Mazinger Z, Minerva X was not like the other lead “Lady Robots”. While the other three robots, Venus A, Aphrodite and Diane A are all piloted Chogokins; Minerva X is actually a combination of remote control operated and an advanced AI computer control. Minerva X has made an impression with Go Nagai fans as she was only seen in one episode. Redeveloped by Dr Hell to destroy Mazinger Z, Minerva X soon develops a “thing” for Mazinger Z and begins to protect Mazinger Z in battle, which sadly leads to Minerva’s eventual destruction. In a sense Minerva is the edgy misguided bad girl with the heart of gold and that’s what I like about her. Heck, she even cries!

Now that's Melodrama at it's finest!!!

Minerva X Soul Of Chogokin includes: 1x Minerva X, 1X Stand, 1x stand stickers, 2x stand parts, 2x fists, 2x open hands, 1x instruction sheet.

When I received my package from Japan I was not let down. First off I was surprised how tall the Minerva figure was. Do not think for one minute that the small packaging features a small figure, Minerva fits snug in the box with no area wasted and the figure is a good size when pulled out of the package. The second thing I noticed was how heavy the figure is, besides the forearm, hands, red chest flashes and head, this figure is pure die-cast medal and boy does it feel good! That’s how a Japanese toy is supposed to feel like! Popy Lives!

The sculpt is amazing, capturing the ethereal beauty and soft sensuality of Go Nagai’s design perfect. The poseability is great with chromed metal joints throughout the figure. My only problem is that the head cannot be posed to look up, but as is, it is just fine.

The paint is beautiful, especially the metal flaked silver/blue paint on the leg, body and arm area and the gloss black used throughout. This is a first rate toy as the craftsmanship is perfect. I also admire the head sculpt of Minerva, with its black eyeliner, red devil face and the absolutely beautiful silver blue paint that is used for the top of the head. The clear blue gem on the stomach is a nice touch and adds a nice visual to the figure.

One complaint that I have heard from collectors is the lack of accessories that Minerva comes with. This figure only comes with two sets of hands: a set of fists and a set of open hands. I like the open hands as each finger is molded apart and silver is painted in the finger joint. Perhaps it could have included a weapon or accessory for another Mazinger SOC release but as is I am neither here or their about extra accessories although including the bouquet of flowers that Mazinger Z gives her would have been cute.

My only real complaint is how the hands are attached to the figure. The hand is manufactured out of rubber and the ball on the end of the hand is pushed into the wrist. Simply stated, in so many years of pulling the hands in and out that the ball is going to snap where the ball meets the hand. The figure should have a rubber ball in the forearm and the hand should have a prong that fits into the hole in the ball. That is how most all the Gundam model kits are made and they should have brought that system over to this figure.

I have never been a huge fan of SOC stands, as I believe each figure should have its own uniquely sculpted stand. Minerva includes a generic stand and a sticker sheet is included to be applied to the stand to denote that it belongs to Minerva. But the stand does what its designed to do and holds the figure firmly.

This is a fantastic figure and a must own if you are a huge Mazinger or vintage Popy fan like myself and it easily stands out in the display case among your other Mazinger’s. Minerva X makes a great SOC entry level purchase as it was only $55.00 with shipping from Japan from the dealer I bought it from on Ebay and is worth every dollar I spent on it. I am looking forward to purchasing many more Mazinger related items in the SOC line.

©2009 Article and pictures by Leonardo Flores and Collection DX.

I really enjoyed this set much more than I thought I would, largely due to the crazy articulation in T-28. He was on my desk for about a week prior to this review and I had a blast trying all kinds of poses with him. And, if you get the set with both, you can re-enact some awesome battle scenes.

This is my Tetsujin 28.

I never watched Gigantor as a kid. I don't know how it escaped my notice, but it was before my time. So, as a result, I don't have really any nostalgia for the old pot-bellied T28, as cool as it is. I can appreciate the design and they have made some great toys of it, but it's not my Tetsujin 28.

No, the first Tetsujin I remember was that massive Godaikin Tetsujin. Originally released by Popy as the SG-01 Chokinzoku Tetsujin 28, the Godaikin Tetsujin taunted me from the toy aisles. Actually, it taunted my by hardly ever being around. I remember seeing it maybe once or twice in stores, and those memories are hazy at best.

Regardless - I've always loved this version of Tetsujin 28 best. His design comes from the 1980 version Tetsujin 28 which actually did air in the states in the 90s.

"Tetsujin Ni-Ju Hachi-GO!"

In 2009, Bandai released two different versions of th GX-44 Soul of Chogokin Tetsujin 28. The basic set was the GX-44 which just included the Tetsujin 28. What I will be reviewing here today is the GX-44S set which includes both Tetsujin 28 and Black Ox. You can only get Black Ox with this set.

Tetsijin 28 VS Black Ox is available at BetaToys.com

The box is your standard SOC fare, with both figures packed securely in a styrofoam tray. A plastic tray contains the accessories, and a cardboard box contains the stands.

Both figures are pretty much ready to go right out of the package. Which is good, because these things are meant to be played with.

Tetsujin 28

T28 is reasonably tall at 18cm tall and is mostly metal. I'd say the only thing not metal here is the head, and hands. It's heavy for sure.

The first thing you will notice about T28 is the articulation. Specifically, how insanely articulated he is. This is the new gold standard for chogokin articulation. The head is on a ball joint but at the neck so it just looks fantastic from any angle.

Shoulders are ball joints, elbows are double joints, hands are removable. The torso has a joint mid-chest as well as at the waist.

The legs at first appear to have limited articulation, but what you have to do is pull them down a bit. The first thing that clicks out is the bottom of the crotch, and then if you keep pulling, the legs slide down a little. This little bit of room goes a long way for added movement.

The legs have a spectacular knee joint where the back panels on the lower legs fold in to allow for the leg to bend much more than normal. The feet are on ball joints, and these too can be pulled down to allow for a greater range of motion.

It appears that the T28 was the test of the new articulation we are going to see in the upcoming Mazinger Z. It has the same elbows, chest joint and collapsing leg joints. I thought I didn't need another Mazinger, but if that's as cool as T28, I'm sold.

There aren't many gimmicks with T28 but there are a few accessories worth mentioning.

Tetsujin 28 can fly by replacing the head with an alternate head that can look up when flying, replacing the hands, and adding on the rocket backpack. The backpack is held in place with a magnet, and pushing down on it activates spring loaded wings.

Also included are two miniature figurines of the boy Shotaro, his vehicle the clipper, a small helper robot called Zero Hachi (08) and a large control briefcase called the Vision Controller.

The Vision Controller can open up and it unfolds automatically. The handle can fold out or be stowed away flat against the case.

The Tetsujin alone is a great buy and well worth the money. But is it worth getting the Black Ox set?

The first thing you notice about Black Ox is the lack of diecast in the lower legs. The rest of the figure has just as much metal as T28, but you can't help but feel a little let down with the metal content. You also don't get the cool folding panels on the back of the legs like you do with T28.

That being said - I still think Black Ox is pretty cool. He is the same size as Tetsujin 28, has the same build, but is a completely unique toy. He even has the cool double jointed elbows.

Aside from variant hands - Black Ox only has two gimmicks. On the regular head, the mouth can open and close. With the alternate head, you have the option of displaying it with or without its faceplate.

Each robot has a display stand with plugs for all their respective parts. Its the same stand, with different nameplates and a different front insert.

So yeah, in conclusion I really enjoyed this set much more than I thought I would, largely due to the crazy articulation in T-28. He was on my desk for about a week prior to this review and I had a blast trying all kinds of poses with him. And, if you get the set with both, you can re-enact some awesome battle scenes.

Tetsijin 28 VS Black Ox is available at BetaToys.com

On a side note, this review is the first shot with my new Olympus SP-590UZ. I had to pick up a new camera at Yodobashi in Tokyo when the old Olympus C-8080 Wide Zoom got a fuzzy spot in the middle of the lens that I can't get out. So far I like the camera, but I am still getting used to it. Let me know what you think of the shots, and if you notice any difference.

This is a cool toy, not so much for what it is, but for what it means.

This is a cool toy, not so much for what it is, but for what it means.

On the surface it is a redeco of the old GX-06 Getter Robo set, but this time it is just Getter 1 all by his loneseome. It's essentially the same toy as the GX-06, with different color and material. The metal content has remained the same.

What makes this special though, is that it is a collaboration between US toymaker Toynami and JP toymaker Bandai. This toy was an exclusive at the 2008 San Diego Comic-Con, and was limited to 500 pcs. This is the first time a Soul of Chogokin toy has been offered as an exclusive to the American market. The toy was later released as a Bandai Tamashii web shop exclusive, but still, we got it first.

This collaboration between Bandai and Toynami is remarkable for several reasons. First, it shows that Bandai Japan recognizes and understands that there is a domestic market (at least they did when they planned this). They also decided to bypass the logical choice of Bandai America in favor of the collector-focused Toynami. BA would likely try to re-mold or change the toys for a more general audience where Toynami is more likely to keep them intact.

There was a lot of talk at the time about bringing future SOC releases to the US through Toynami, but as of this writing, this has been the only release.

The packaging for this release is new and unique to the US market. A monochrome red box with the Toynami logo on it holds an old-school styro tray. Very cool.

Here's to Toynami bringing more SOC exclusives to the US.

The funk of old-school design with the sharpness of modern engineering - its the best of both worlds.

Review with HD video

The Voltes V Respect for Volt in Box is a repaint of the 2006 GX-31 Soul of Chogokin Voltes V. The paint scheme is a tribute to the classic DX chogokin Volt-in-box set, which was released in the US as the Godaikin Voltes V.

This toy though, is far from being a regular repaint. Bandai actually corrected a few flaws and added in a few new features for this release. In my opinion, if you only get one SOC Voltes, get this one.

The SOC Voltes V Respect for Volt in Box comes courtesy of Anime-Export.com

The tribute begins with the box. From the outside, the box has an old school feel, with the box being eerily reminiscent of the Godakin version. Why would Bandai design box for a Japanese-release toy that is reminiscent of the US release version? Boggles the mind....

The box is made of a thicker cardboard than your usual SOC release, with an old-school handle on the top to carry it around.

Inside the box you get a Styrofoam tray, with a Styrofoam lid. When removed, you get an insert that is die-cut around the parts of Voltes in the Package. This insert is a clear homage to the Volt-in-Box set.

The Volt Machines

The five Volt machines combine and form the mighty Voltes V. Each machine is made of diecast metal and various plastics. The paint decoration on each is directly inspired by the color scheme of the classic chogokin, but it is not an exact duplication.

Volt Cruiser

The Volt Cruiser is the smallest Volt machine, and aside from paint differences, is the same as the regular SOC. It features slide out missiles on the sides of the cockpit, and folding landing gear.

GX-31V	GX-31

Volt Bomber

The Volt Bomber is a flying craft that becomes the arms of the combined Voltes V. In vehicle mode, it's still not so precise a form, but it serves its purpose. My original complaint still holds with this vehicle, that you have to plug in four sets of wheels beneath the ship. Bandai should have found a way to make this gear stow away in the vehicle. There is a mold change in the lower arms, but I'll address that in Robot mode.

GX-31V	GX-31

Volt Panzer

This vehicle is the mandatory tank-tread vehicle that is found in many robot anime of the day. It forms the torso of Voltes, and the body is largely diecast. The only change to this vehicle aside from the paint is in the struts that attach to the tank treads.

GX-31V	GX-31

Volt Frigate

The volt Frigate looks like some sort of aquatic vehicle and it forms the legs of Voltes V. One noticeable change is to the antennae on the towers on the rear of the vehicle. On the original version they were topped with flexible grey radar dishes. On this version they get replaced with removable chrome sensor arrays, much like the original.

GX-31V	GX-31

Volt Lander

My favorite of all the Volt vehicles, the Volt Lander, become the feet of Voltes. Like the original, the doors on the front open to reveal drills. Still, they don't shoot. The antenna on the side have been replaced with chrome "claws" that connect to larger sensor arrays.

GX-31V	GX-31

Voltes V

The combined Voltes V is a marked improvement over the first SOC. First of all, it's much more stable than the original. The hips are much tighter and the ankles hold much better than before.

All of the prior version's weapons and accessories are present.

The collapsing sword still fits in the chest.

Gatling Missiles

The Chain Knuckle is the same chain weapon from the first release, but this time they have added in a new feature. This time you can swap the connector out with a missile launcher. The end of the Chain knuckle combines with a second tip to become a projectile that fires out of the cannon. That's right, real, spring loaded firing action.

In the first version SOC, the Voltes Bazooka was a cannon that was stored inside the arm. It could be pulled out and the hand would tilt down. Now it has been replaced with a large missile-firing bazooka. The missiles look just like old-school Popy missiles (there are three included) and they fire a good distance. Unbelievably Awesome.

Tenkuu Ken

The Taka Mecha is the large bird shaped ship that can dock on the back of Voltes, and was never included with the original DX set. Funny, I never realized how much the Taka Mecha looks like the Raideen God Bird mode. Here it's labeled "Imperial Family Aircraft"

The Choudenji Strings and Choudenji Goma are still included.

Voltank Mode

Here's where the Respect For Volt-In-Box really shines. One glaring omission from the original SOC was its inability to form the Voltank mode. While Voltes V never transformed into this mode in the show, it was a feature of the classic DX chogokin and Godaikin. The few small engineering changes Bandai made are all the difference.

Two modifications were necessary to allow this transformation. First, the arms are now double jointed so that they can fold up to the shoulders. The entire lower arm has been re-engineered to do this. There are no longer smaller fists in the arms that slide out and there are not yellow covers at the ends.

Secondly, the connecting arms to the tank treads are now longer and can be extended to make up the difference in height.

Beautiful, Glorious Voltank mode.

The GX-31V Voltes V Respect for Volt is an awesome gokin, and the better of the two releases. That's not to say that the original sucks or anything, it is just that this one is so much better.

You can get your Respect for Volt in Box at Anime-Export.com

Daimos is good. Very good. But it’s going to feel a bit odd to US fans. Video included

Daimos is one of those characters that has been on the fans lists to be made into an SOC for some time now.

It appears Bandai has been listening, because here it is.

Daimos comes from the Japanese anime series Tosho Daimos (闘将ダイモス) or Brave Leader Daimos. Originally airing in 1978, Daimos is part of the Romantic Trilogy which also features Combattler V and Voltes V.

Soul of Chogokin GX-43 Daimos is available from BetaToys.com

Daimos never aired in the US, but toys of Daimos were included in both the Godaikin and Shogun Warriors lines. In the late 90s, a compilation DVD called “Starbirds” appeared on supermarket dollar DVD racks. However, in addition to its native Japan, Daimos was popular in Philippines, Malaysia, Italy and France.

I’ll say it right now. Daimos is good. Very good. But it’s going to feel a bit odd to US fans.

First off – the box is the typical SOC quality. Nice graphics, nice packaging. The toy itself is packed in a Styrofoam tray while the accessories are in the clear plastic trays.

Inside, Daimos is ready to go in robot form.

Daimos, in robot mode, is really fantastic. Articulation is great. The head moves, the arms have a dual joint that allows a wide range of motion, even up over the head. Its very nice. The elbows have a double joint and the wrists turn in two places.

There’s no waist joint, sadly.

At the legs, there are joints at the hips, double joints at the knees, and joints at the ankles.

As for metal content, Daimos is loaded with metal, In fact, he is heavier than the original DX chogokin. Chest, shoulders, legs, connectors… Metal.

In Robot mode, Daimos has the usual ton of accessories.

• Sanryuukon staff

• Snake Lock

• Daimo-Shaft

• Battle Break

• Five Shooter

• Souryuuken blade

• Daimo-Kick

• Daimos Chain Shark

• Freezer Storm

• Double Blizzard

• Fire Blizzard

Transformation from robot mode to vehicle mode (or Tranzer) isn’t really difficult, but there are a few odd areas and a few issues of contention.

For one, Daimos kind of cheats on the transformation. The Tranzer cab actually is stored in the chest and swaps out with the head, instead of just transforming from one to the other.

The arms fold down along the chest and store in near the legs as opposed to the chest.

Also, included are two different sets of back coverings. One set is fully transformable, and the other is an anime-accurate set. You need to have the transformable set on to go into vehicle mode.

Watch the video to see the transformation in action.

In vehicle mode, Daimos is a brick. It’s just a solid inarticulate piece. Unlike the vintage piece, the cab does not move on this version. The tires are a hard rubber, and do turn.

Missiles can be attached to the rear sections of the Tranzer. Also, the rear of the trailer has a door that opens that allows the miniature Tryper 75S to dock inside. Two mini-Tryper are included – one just in car mode, and one with wings open.

An additional larger Tryper is included that features rolling wheels, opening cockpit and opening wing section.

A stand is included that holds all the weapons, but honestly, we didn’t put it together. In fact, it seems that lately we just leave the extra parts and stand in the box, and just display the figure with the accessories we like most. We just don’t have the room anymore.

If you are a fan of the old DX chogokin Daimos, this toy may leave you a little cold. The transformation seems needlessly complex, the colors seem all wrong, and despite having more accessories, the new version doesn’t actually do much. It’s less fun but more anime-accurate.

However, there is hope. With the recent announcement of the “Respect for Volt-In-Box” set, the Soul of Chogokin colored like the old popy DX set, there is the hope that Bandai will continue to re-issue SOC in classic chogokin colors. And to add a bit more evidence to this – the green shin guards on Daimos are only painted green. That’s right; they are actually molded in yellow – the color of the guards on the original DX chogokin.

Soul of Chogokin GX-43 Daimos is available from BetaToys.com

When Bandai announced the new Jeeg, I was skeptical. Had magnetic ball joint technology advanced that much in 30 or so years? Could this new Jeeg maintain the original gimmick while updating to modern standards?

The answer inside, with HD VIDEO

Kotetsushin Jeeg 鋼鉄神ジーグ (literally – Steel God Jeeg) is the sequel to 1975’s Koutetsu Jeeg, created by the legendary Go Nagai. This Jeeg series takes place 50 years after the original, and features an all new cast and robot.

The original Jeeg was made in cooperation with Go Nagai and toy maker Takara. Takara had decided use a magnetic joint system for the toy, and this idea was then worked into the show.

Audiences in the US likely did not see Jeeg on TV, but they might be familiar with the toy. The Takara Jeeg was used as the body of the Micronaut’s Baron Karza toy from in 1977.

I was never that into the Micronauts, and I never understood Jeeg. I didn’t like the original toy due to the magnetic floppy limbs. When Bandai announced the new Jeeg, I was skeptical. Had magnetic ball joint technology advanced that much in 30 or so years? Could this new Jeeg maintain the original gimmick while updating to modern standards?

Unfortunately, the answer is no.

This new Jeeg toy is part SOC, part floppy mess. It pains me to say it, because as a rule I love the SOC line, but this just doesn’t deliver.

Now, before the entire country of Italy begins to send me hate mail, let me explain.

Bandai had a difficult task ahead of them. They couldn’t make a Jeeg toy and NOT have the limbs magnetic – that’s the whole idea of the character. They tried their best I think, to work within the confines of the design. It’s not a terrible toy – it looks great actually, but it is a frustrating toy to handle and explore.

The main gimmick of Jeeg is that it is a toy that is the sum of its parts. There are 16 main sections of Jeeg that compose the body. Fans were disappointed that only the head, arms and legs connected magnetically, but then again, that’s what the original did. The head is mostly plastic, save for the magnetic connection joint at the bottom of the neck, and the joint work.

The head connects to the chest by a magnet, and the neck section is articulated. The chest unit is almost all diecast metal.

Each arm connects to the body at a round plastic shoulder part. This circular piece has a magnetic connection point and the inner part swivels to allow a wider range of motion.

The upper arm / elbow parts have metal connection points with plastic covering. The forearms are a hard rubber much like the fists of SOC toys. The hands connect to the forearms by a tiny metal joint.

Here’s where one of the major flaws appears. Because the forearms are rubber like the hands, it’s almost impossible to remove the hands without removing the joint. From there you need a set of pliers or something to remove it. The same pin connects on the other side of the forearm, making that a connection that easily separates. In addition, the swivel joint where the arm connects to the shoulder is rather tight. When you try to move this joint, you usually just dislocate the magnet instead.

The chest connects to a waist section and then to the hip section, which is diecast.

The upper legs have steel balls at the end that connect to the magnets in the hips. This upper leg is plastic, but it connects to the lower leg at a nice strong metal knee joint. The lower legs are metal, with metal ankle joints.

The feet are plastic but contain a nice touch that almost shows that Bandai knew there was a problem with this toy. The bottom of each foot is padded with rubber. If these were just plastic, there would be no resistance and the magnetic joints would just split apart. It is only the friction generated by these pads that allows Jeeg to stand at all.

The magnetic connection to the hips, while technically strong, offers almost no resistance. Jeeg just flops all over the place when you are trying to pose him, and once you get a pose right he will topple over with the slightest breeze.

Those are the main issues with Jeeg. If you can look past those, you will probably be fine with him.

Where Jeeg redeems itself is with the gimmicks and accessories. They range from awesome to weird, but all of them are pretty cool.

The coolest in my opinion is the Mach Drill. These two large drill weapons can be combined into a drill ship or be attached at the shoulders to Jeeg. Small pegs fold out and attach to the side for flying mode (this is also why the head can look straight up).

Almost as cool is the Jeeg Bazooka. This large gray cannon attaches to the right shoulder via a magnet and another peg that attaches to the body. While insanely huge, this cannon stays firmly in place. Unfortunately, the cannon does not fire anything.

You know a character is a badass when they can tear their own arm off to beat someone with it. The Jeeg Crusher is exactly that. Change the left shoulder to one with spikes and grab it with the other arm. Let the flailing commence!

There are six panels on the chest that can open up to reveal the Jeeg Breaker weapon. No idea what it does, but it looks neat.

The Knuckle Bomber is an actual firing gimmick. It replicates the two hands clasped together, which then fire from the launcher. The launcher is a plastic part meant to replicate the two forearms. The launcher is weak.

In the “greatest weapon name ever” category comes the Hell Slap. The Hell Slap is basically an open hand with spikes on the palm. You have to love the simple accurate naming here.

FINALLY… you get a second head. This head is transformable from a motorcycle called Raikoba. It’s a little fidgety and doesn’t look as good as the regular head, but it’s a nice addition. It also comes with a special neck to attach to the chest.

Koutetsushin Jeeg also comes with a stand that has places for all of the accessories. In another nod to Jeeg’s instability, the stand has a waist clip. Unfortunately, the clip is a little big and really does nothing to support Jeeg.

While some of the gimmicks are neat, I just can’t overlook the poor execution of the magnetic joints. I know there are a lot of diehard Jeeg and Magnemo collectors that are probably used to this type of thing, but I’m just a bit disappointed in it.

Should you want a Jeeg for your very own, I wholeheartedly recommend BetaToys for all your chogokin needs.